The Winslow Unified School District Governing Board met May 18 and heard Jefferson School Principal Troy McReynolds describe the school’s Scientific Change in Reading (SCR) program.

He described a highly successful reading program the school has been using, which is being implemented by first grade teacher Gail Tsosie, second grade teacher Candace Hartman, third grade teacher Betsy Pollard, special education teacher Keri Arthur and McReynolds.

The students have been learning how to teach the five components of reading (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension). He gave illustrations of the success of the program, and stated that the goal of the school is to have 95 percent of its students be proficient readers at grade level and love reading. He estimated that the current level is optimistically 75 percent.

In other action May 18, the board:

* Approved the hiring of Christie Bratt as a first grade teacher at Jefferson School, Shawn Layden as a safe and supportive school facilitator at Winslow High School, and Larissa Richards and Cassandra Schumacher as English teachers at Winslow Junior High School.

* Approved transfers for Beth Bordner as second grade teacher at Jefferson School; Candace Hartman and Jana Jordan as third grade teachers, Steven Brodt and Jessica McBee as fourth grade teachers, Allen Leonard and Pam Van Arsdale as fifth grade teachers, Samantha Hopson and Amanda Leonard as sixth grade teachers, and Peggy Eldrod as a special education teacher, all at the magnet school; Sal Hernandez as assistant principal at WHS, Lauren Klein as second grade teacher at Jefferson School, Joyln Nebeker as district part-time bus driver and Tracy Turley as high needs aide at Jefferson School.

* Approved Mark Foust as a volunteer football coach at WJHS.

* Approved the resignations or retirement of Jefferson School classroom aide Carleen Wilson and Washington School special education high needs aide Jocabeth Messer.

* Approved the retirement and return to work for custodial warehouse supervisor Toni Montano.

* Approved out of state travel for two employees to travel to San Diego, Calif., July 10-14 to attend PowerSchool University. Superintendent Doug Watson explained that this is for necessary training.

* Issued a proclamation in support of School Resource Officers at WHS and WJHS.

* Approved the annual renewal of the intergovernmental agreement with the Navajo County Community College District for dual enrollment.

* Approved the elimination of golf as a spring sport at WHS, and adding one additional coach each for junior varsity softball and baseball.

* Approved naming the WHS Industrial Arts Building in honor of George Rockwell, who has been teaching for 50 years, including 48 in Winslow.

* Approved postponing the regularly scheduled July 6 board meeting to 7 a.m. on July 14 and canceling the July 20 meeting. Traditionally, only one meeting is held in July.

* Held the first reading of Arizona School Boards Association Policy Services Advisory 403 regarding dating abuse, and the corresponding regulation and exhibit. The second reading will not be on the agenda until it is known whether there will be SROs at the WHS and WJHS, and who they are.

* Declared an emergency per Policy BGB to allow adoption of a proposed change in policy and adopt a minor (one-word) change in Policy JFB-Open Enrollment. The change was at the suggestion of the U.S. Department of Education, and changed the word “accommodations” to “services.”

* Heard a report from Watson on the district’s response to the 2010 financial audit findings, which included some changes made.

* Received the district financial reports for April from Finance Director Shirley Lomeli.

* Was advised by Watson that the district will pay $2,000 for trash picked up by a company in 1990, but not properly disposed of. Many other schools from this and other states were charged for this offense. It was decided that it would be best to just pay the penalty.